Supportive housing success
Photo: Contributed
A recent BC Housing study found that residents staying at the the Samuel Place supporting housing facility in Kelowna reported a significant increase in living skills, social connections, employment opportunities and overall safety.
Samuel Place provides 50 homes for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It is located on McIntosh Road and is operated by the John Howard Society.
The study was conducted in the first six months of operation at the facility, which opened in April 2020.
The majority of the residents at the building are aged 25 to 54, although there are many residents 55 and over. According to BC Housing, 96 per cent of residents remained housed at Samuel Place at six months.
Over half of the residents who responded to the survey were experiencing homelessness immediately prior to moving into Samuel Place. Staff reported that the majority of residents had previously been staying in temporary housing prior to moving in, while the rest were living in an emergency shelter or housing that didn’t meet their needs.
Twenty-nine per cent of survey respondents reported having better access to employment opportunities since their move, while 27 per cent reported better access to education. 59 per cent reported an improvement in their well being after moving in.
Half of the survey respondents reported that their living skills had improved, while living skills remained the same for 22 per cent. A total of 28 per cent reported their living skills had decreased.
A total of 75 per cent of residents also reported they had friends or relatives in the community to talk to and 95 per cent reported good relationships with other residents.
It hasn’t been without challenges though, with some residents reporting struggles since moving to their new home. Staff reported the COVID-19 pandemic places a strain on residents as they were not allowed to have guests in the building for a period of time.
Back when the supportive housing facility was first announced in 2019, residents in the area expressed opposition about the location of the complex. Samuel Place is one of multiple supportive housing facilities in Rutland.
Photo: BC Housing
Photo: BC Housing
